What Are Friends For?
by NCISgirl1527
Summary: The SMack scene that should have followed All Access. If you don't like SMack this could be read as and is probably closer to Stella Mac friend ship. Enjoy.


Hi. This I my second CSI NY piece so please be nice. It lines up with the end of All Access Tags: All Access Spoilers: All Access

_**Disclaimer: It is not mine. Don't kill me for it. To much paper work **__****_

"I can rent you a hotel room for as long as you want. Just say the word," Mac offered. He watched Stella carefully trying to gage if she was really all right or if she was just putting on her brave face. Stupid thought he told himself. Her ex-boyfriend had just attacked her; there was no way she was all right.

"I'm a big girl, Mac," she told him gently. "I'd rather just go back to my apartment. If that's ok with you," she added looking at him, and he looked back at her. He was glad that she was feeling at least a little better than she had been earlier. Mac was not sure he liked the idea of Stella going back there but it was her choice.

"If that is what you want to do," he told her nodding slowly, but as she started to turn away he grabbed her arm. "Stella if you need anything just call or come over," he told her then added, "and it does not matter what time it is. Ok?"

"Ok," she said with a small smile, "Thank you, Mac."

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A few hours later Stella was curled up on the couch in her apartment. She had tried to sleep but every time she closed her eyes, she saw Frankie standing over her again. She held her cell phone in her hand and fiddled with it idly trying to decide whether or not she should call Mac.

Suddenly her phone rang in her hand, and she opened it with out looking at the caller Id. "Bonasera," she answered tiredly.

"Stella did I wake you up?" Mac asked her worriedly.

"No," she replied.

"Can I come in?" he asked her tentatively.

"Where are you?" she asked a little more alert that before.

"Outside your door," he admitted before adding, "but you don't have to I know you don't like men in you apartment." He probably would have gone on longer than that, but he was cut off when the door opened.

"Come in," she told him.

Mac looked at her and immediately regretted letting her go back to her house especially knowing that she would be alone. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears and she hadn't changed out of the cloths she had left the hospital in. She turned away from him and sat down where she had been before.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he asked sitting down next to her on the couch.

She looked up at him, and he saw the fear in her eyes, "I can't. Every time I close my eye I see Frankie again." A few of the tears she had been fighting to restrain slid down her cheeks as she spoke. Mac leaned over and put his arms around her, pulling her closer. She rested her head on his shoulder and suddenly the tears began to flow freely. Mac held her close and rubbed her back until the tears had subsided and she composed herself enough to sit up.

"Hey, do you want to watch a movie?" he asked her. She nodded not trusting her voice. He put the movie in to the DVD player then returned to the couch where Stella leaned against him and he wrapped his arms around her.

Two and a half hours later the credits were rolling on the screen and Mac looked down at Stella. He realized that she was asleep. Carefully Mac lifted his partner into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. As gently as he could he laid her down on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her with the blankets. With one last glance he went back into the living room. It was too late to go back to his place and he didn't think Stella would mind if he slept on the couch. He took off his shoes and using his coat as a blanket went to sleep.

Suddenly, Mac jerked awake, then looked around wondering what had woken him. He heard screams coming down the hall. Grabbing his gun off the side table he ran down the hall. When he got to Stella's room she was thrashing around. He breathed a small sigh of relief and put his gun on her nightstand.

Sitting down on the bed he pulled Stella into his arms. She continued to struggle for a moment before she returned to full consciousness. "It's ok, Stell. Your safe. I've got you," Mac told her gently.

"I know," she replied with a small smile. Fear and tears were both still present in her eyes but she had relaxed a little once Mac had arrived. For several minutes they just sat there both getting comfort from the others presence.

"We should go back to sleep," Mac told her after several minutes of silence.

She nodded and he got up to leave but she called him back, "Mac, can…can you stay in here?" she asked him tentatively. He looked at her for a moment. He really didn't want to leave her alone and they were both adults.

"Yes," he replied.

"Thank you," Stella whispered as she got back into bed. Mac climbed in on the opposite side and threw the blankets over both of them. Mac lay there for several minutes before he realized that Stella was shaking. Tentatively, he put his arms around her. Feeling his touch, Stella rolled over so that her head was on his chest.

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Stella woke up at seven thirty the next morning. Mac was not next to her but, judging by the delicious smell coming from the kitchen, he had not left her apartment. She wandered down the hall and paused in the doorway to the kitchen so she could watch him.

"Hey," he said when he noticed her standing in the doorway.

"Hey," she replied coming to sit at the table as he scraped some of the eggs and bacon on to her plate. "Thank you," she said quietly. "This means a lot me Mac."

He could have made some wise crack there but that wasn't something he would do. "You're welcome," he replied smiling at her before adding, "you should eat your eggs before they get cold." Stella smiled at him before starting on her breakfast.

_**Thanks for reading. Reviewing would be nice but not required. Flames will be used to make marshmallows (That last line is not something I came up with. If it belongs to you…you know who you are but I don't anymore.) Thanks**_


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